Barely Breathing

GEETA
Alright, well they kind of think it's a phase, but they're cool with the phase. And it's just their way of easing into things. They're old folks, from the motherland, I can give 'em at least that. What about your parents?

MEHRY
No. Not at all.

GEETA
They don't know?

MEHRY
They kind of know, but it's not talked about. Not ever.

GEETA
You gotta tell them.

MEHRY
What?

GEETA
Over and over again. You have to tell them and stick it right in their face. The more you let them be in this place of denial, the more comfy they get and harder it's gonna be.

MEHRY
You're crazy. I'm giving them time, to adjust. Easing them into it, like you said.

GEETA
Don't. This is different, trust me. It's like a band-aid. Fucking rip it off all at once, and get used to it, and then they'll realize it wadn't as bad as they thought it'd be. But all this slow crap, they just deceive themselves. You're deceiving them. You're own parents.

MEHRY
I am not deceiving them! They don't want to fucking know. They're the ones who don't want to fucking know!

Cast Requirements

2W (South Asian)

Production and Development History

Produced in 2006 as a Sam French Off-Off Broadway semifinalist, and then in 2007 by Desipina at Theatre Row (dir. Amy Leland). Produced as a staged reading in 2015 by Naked Expedition (dir. Claudia Weill).